Approval of new measures to protect Algerians from natural disasters

The forest fires that Algeria witnessed during this summer resulted in nearly 6,000 people being affected, which prompted the government to work on approving new measures to secure Algerians from natural disasters, through a draft law on the table of the National People’s Assembly related to disaster risk management, with the involvement of 15 ministerial sectors responsible for Preparing a vigilance plan to manage and confront major risks.

This was confirmed by the Major Risks Representative at the Ministry of the Interior, Local Governments and Urban Planning, Abdelhamid Afra, during his hosting of the Morning Guest programme, on Monday, who revealed that nearly 6,000 people were affected by the forest fires that Algeria witnessed during this summer, resulting in many material damages. Humanity is in an exceptional climatic context the likes of which the country has not known since the beginning of thermal measurements.

Afra explained that in addition to plans to prevent forest fires, plans have been prepared to manage earthquake and flood disasters, especially since Algeria is not immune to them.

In a related context, the same official confirmed that the government is preparing to approve new measures to secure Algerians from natural disasters, through a draft law on the table of the National People’s Assembly related to disaster risk management, with the involvement of 15 ministerial sectors responsible for preparing a vigilance plan to manage and confront major risks.

He continued by saying that it has become necessary to deal with these climate changes that are affecting all of the world, including Algeria, pointing out that the danger of forest fires, unlike other risks, can be predicted, and that these fires in Algeria are caused by the human element in an intentional or unintentional way.

During his intervention, Afra revealed that the national plan for preventing and managing major risks is based on three basic stages. In the first stage, the focus is on preventive measures for early warning, before the disaster occurs, by relying on special and clear bulletins that show the extent of the risks, in coordination with the concerned authorities, i.e. meteorology. The second stage is the mobilization of human and material means to reduce the scale of the disaster and equip the latest means and equipment, especially air, in addition to recruiting the human element specialized in rescue and rapid intervention. The third stage is known as the recovery stage, reducing the size of the damage, and counting the damage. Those affected and preparing a national plan for reconstruction and re-caring for the injured people.